FAQs

The number of custom rhythm patterns that you can create is limited only by the capacity of your iPad. The size of the custom pattern files that are created when exported is very small, to allow for a large number of custom patterns to be saved. The fact that custom patterns can be exported to external file storage apps like Dropbox also allows for a very large number of custom patterns to be created.

The default patterns that are included in Rhythm Lab cannot be edited or modified directly. However, any pattern (including custom patterns) can be copied and edited by using the Copy Pattern menu on the Custom screen. The copied/edited version can be saved in a custom pattern set, but the original pattern will not be changed.

Yes. Create the patterns and pattern sets in the usual way, and then save/export them from the Export Custom Set menu. Once exported, they can be shared in the same way that any other files can be shared from any app that stores and shares files.

Yes. Go to the “Edit/Export Custom Sets” menu (square with up arrow icon action item, top right navigation bar of Custom screen) and select “Edit Custom Set.” From there, you can delete an entire set, or individual patterns from a set, and also change the title of a set.

Yes! Custom pattern sets are easily exported and imported to and from Rhythm Lab. Rhythm Lab custom pattern files (.rlpf) are generated by Rhythm Lab and can be opened in any instance of Rhythm Lab.

There are two ways to open a custom pattern set that is stored by another app (Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, etc):

• Open the file in Rhythm Lab from within the storing app (using the export/open in functions of that app).
• Open the file from the “Import Custom Patterns” button on Rhythm Lab’s user screen. Not all versions of storage apps allow this, in which case the first option (above) must be used.

All custom patterns must be added to a custom pattern set, even if you’ve created only one pattern. Custom pattern sets belong to one of the four categories: Single, Double, Drumline, or Drumkit. When you have finished creating or editing a custom pattern, use the file management menu (folder icon, on the top right navigation bar) to add the pattern to a new set, or to an existing custom set of the same category if a such a set already exists. A newly-created and saved custom pattern is immediately available for use on the Tap screen. All custom patterns are accessed from the Custom menu option at the top of the Tap screen.

Once created, custom pattern sets can be exported and saved outside of Rhythm Lab. To do this, use the Share action item (square with up-arrow icon, top right of navigation bar on the Custom screen) to open the “Export Custom Set” feature. You can then navigate through to the custom set you wish to export. Once you’ve given a name for your file, Rhythm Lab will open the system sharing interface menu and present all of the saving/sharing options available on your iPad. Custom pattern set files are created with the .rlpf (Rhythm Lab Pattern File) extension.

Navigate to the Custom tab on the bottom navigation bar. From there, you can use the menus to create entirely new patterns, copy existing patterns, or have Rhythm Lab generate a custom pattern for you based on the parameters you provide.

Rhythm Lab handles four types of patterns:

• Single – one line of rhythm tapped on one pad.
• Double – two simultaneous rhythm lines tapped on two pads.
• Drumline – a drum pattern with color-coded left and right notes, tapped on left and right pads.
• Drumkit – a basic drumkit pattern with simultaneous hi hat, snare, and kick drum rhythm lines.

No. All features are available as a single purchase when you purchase and download the app.

No. Once you purchase and download Rhythm Lab, there are no more fees to pay, ever.

Yes. Simply add each user. Manage the group by exporting or importing user data files. User data files can be stored anywhere (with .rluf extension) and opened in any Rhythm Lab app running on any iPad, as long as the app is v. 3.16 or later. The data files can be given any name you want, and will always have the .rluf extension.

Yes. For example, if a teacher would like to track a student’s results, the student can easily send a copy of scores and results via email or any other option available from the system sharing menu, which is accessed from the action button at the top right on the navigation bar of the user’s results screen. The user’s results screen is accessed by tapping the button displaying the user name on the main Tap screen’s navigation bar (top center-right).

There are two ways to import user data:

• If a user data file has been exported and saved in an app that will accept files with the .rluf extension (.rluf is the extension for the custom user files that Rhythm Lab exports), you can use the “Open in . . .” option from that app’s file share/export interface to open the file in Rhythm Lab. Many apps allow you to store and export .rluf files, including DropBox, Box, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, Mega, and iCloud Drive.
• If the host app storing the .rluf user file recognizes Rhythm Lab’s ability to open the file, you can also open the file directly from Rhythm Lab’s opening User screen by tapping the “Manage Users / Import Users” option. Some newer versions of storage apps as of iOS 11 may not allow you to import the .rluf file directly from Rhythm Lab’s screen, although you can still open the file in Rhythm Lab from within the other application itself. OneDrive, Google Drive, and Mega allow user imports from within Rhythm Lab’s user screen; DropBox, Box, and iCloud Drive do not.

If any user names in the imported group already exist in the current Rhythm Lab instance,  you will be given the option to skip or rename the imported user rather than over-writing the current user’s data.

Once users’ data have been exported, the saved file can be opened in any other installation of Rhythm Lab on any other iPad, as long as the installed version of Rhythm Lab is recent enough to allow user import and export (v. 3.1.6 or later).

You save users and their data by selecting the “Manage Users” button on the opening screen. If you are on a different screen, you can navigate back to the User screen by tapping on the “Tap” icon on the far left of the bottom tab bar. If the Tap screen is already showing an exercise, then tap the “User” navigation item on the top left navigation bar.

To save the users group, select “Export Users” after tapping the “Manage Users” button.  Enter a name for the file and tap done. You will be presented with a system view with all of the options available on your iPad for sharing or saving the users file (email, Files app, DropBox, etc.). Follow the usual procedure for saving or sharing using any of those options.

You delete a user by selecting the “Manage Users” button on the opening screen. If you are on a different screen, you can navigate back to the User screen by tapping on the “Tap” icon on the far left of the bottom tab bar. If the Tap screen is already showing an exercise, then tap the “User” navigation item on the top left navigation bar.

After tapping the “Manage Users” button, tap “Delete User” and tap the name to delete. You will then be asked to confirm the delete, or you can cancel the delete operation.

You add a user by selecting the “Manage Users” button on the opening screen. If you are on a different screen, you can navigate back to the User screen by tapping on the “Tap” icon on the far left of the bottom tab bar. If the Tap screen is already showing an exercise, then tap the “User” navigation item on the top left navigation bar.

After tapping the “Manage Users” button, tap “Add New User” and type in a user name. To save the user name, tap the “Done” button. No other information is required for the user.

Metronome settings can be accessed in two ways:

• To change the speed of the metronome (bpm), tap the metronome button display at the far left of the control panel on the Tap Screen. A larger popup menu with a slider and stepper control allows you to change the speed from 15 to 300 bpm.  You also have the option to assign the same speed to all patterns in the current set. Press done to save the changes. On the Custom screen, metronome slider and stepper controls are available in the editing area.
• To change the metronome sounds, use the Sound Options menu inside the Settings menu.

MIDI options include:

• Select the MIDI note that marks the split between left and right pads when using a MIDI device to tap double rhythms.
• Select the MIDI note to use for hi hat, snare, and kick drum pads when using a MIDI device to tap drumkit rhythms.
• Turn MIDI Send on or off. When MIDI Send is on, Rhythm Lab’s internal sounds are ignored, and the sounds from MIDI apps or devices found on the iPad system will play instead.
• Bluetooth MIDI – find Bluetooth MIDI devices within range of the iPad and select/turn on Bluetooth MIDI if it has not already been turned on by another app on the iPad.

Theme options include:

• Classic (basically black and white)
• Light Blue
• Blue
• Green
• Red
• Silver
• Dark
• Black

Sound options include:

• Pad sounds, based on a General MIDI sound set, for right/single and left pads.
• Pad notes – from MIDI note C2 to MIDI note B5 – for right/single and left pads.
• Drum sounds, including kit type (eight kit types available), and sounds for pads, based on General MIDI percussion sounds.
• Metronome sounds for strong and weak beats, based on General MIDI percussion sounds.

The tap options include tap precision (how forgiving Rhythm Lab is when judging the accuracy of a tap), the number of lead-in count measures (from 0 to 3), whether to test the length of a note when tapping, and whether to play warning sounds when a tap error is made.

Many settings in Rhythm Lab can be changed, including:

• Tap Settings – test note lengths, play error sounds, display hits/misses, timing strictness/loosenes, number of count-in measures.
• Sound Settings – pad sounds, pad notes/pitches, drumkit type, metronome sounds.
• Theme Settings – eight different color schemes to choose from.
• MIDI Settings – MIDI note/number for split between Left and Right pads, MIDI note/number for drumkit sounds, Bluetooth MIDI discovery, MIDI Send on/off.
• Metronome Settings – tempo beats-per-minute (bpm) from 15-300, set bpm for all patterns in a set.
• Loop pattern on/off